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I thought he gave a great, un-Greg Oden-like answer to the question of whether he loves the game of basketball. He basically says if you are asking me that question, you don't know me very well. I've always had a basketball in my hands. I never played anything else growing up. I'm devoted to the game.

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It's not every day you walk into a gym and see a 6-foot-11, 270-pound big man with a 7-foot-5 wingspan do the things Drummond can do. In my 15 years of covering the NBA draft, you come across athletes like Drummond only once or twice a decade -- strong, huge, explosive and unusually quick for someone his size.

Why didn't Drummond dominate every game at UConn? I ask myself that over and over again. I watched Drummond at least 10 times this year. He exploded for a huge dunk here and there. Occasionally took over the game for a few minutes. He could be special, like he was against Syracuse in the Big East tournament. Or he could disappear like he did against Iowa State in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Usually I left a little disappointed every time I saw him play. There's so much there to work with and so little production.

Telep is sympathetic. Between high school games, AAU tournaments and camps, he watched Drummond play more than 25 times before he played a game for the Huskies.

"The questions you're asking yourself right now I've been asking for four years. I've seen Drummond dominate a game, especially when he was matched up against another top prospect like Ike Austin or Mitch McGary. He wanted to prove he's the best player in the building. But I've never seen it consistently. He's never brought it from game to game. Sometimes it's there. Most of the time it wasn't. If he has a killer instinct, he doesn't turn it on very often."

The asterisk.

There's always one with players like Drummond. Elite size? Poor athlete. Elite athlete? Bad motor. Great motor? Can't shoot. Great shooter? Undersized. I could keep going on and on.

Drummond's dilemma is the same one we discussed last week with Perry Jones. Great athlete. Great size. Questionable motor/passion for the game.

Ravin, whose clients include Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and a number of other NBA All-Stars, has been dubbed the Hoops Whisperer. He is known for getting into the heads of talented and sometimes troubled players and getting them to believe in themselves. He's also known for helping players add more versatility to their game.

"Idan knows skills work," Stoudemire told the Times. "He knows how to get you versatile."

It sounds like Ravin might already be in Drummond's head. Drummond has lost 22 pounds since starting his workouts. He's also sped up, and now Drummond isn't so sure he should be forced to live in the paint in the NBA either. He says his favorite player is Kevin Durant, not Dwight Howard or Shaquille O'Neal. Like Durant and Jones, he isn't afraid to take jumpers instead of hook shots in the paint.

Being big always is a premium commodity for NBA scouts come draft time. But not always for the players.

"The game isn't as fun for big men," one ex-NBA player turned front office executive told ESPN.com. "You run up and down the floor and depend on your guards to get you the ball. Lots of times you leave empty-handed. Every big guy dreams of handling the ball and taking 20 to 30 shots a night."

The difference between Durant and Drummond, however, is enormous. Both players were used very differently by their college coaches and had very different results.

Drummond averaged 10 ppg as a freshman and didn't make a 3-pointer all year. Durant averaged nearly 26 ppg and made 82 3s. But the bigger issue is that killer instinct. The eye of the tiger. Durant was skinny and not very explosive, but everyone who saw him play knew he had "it." Durant wanted to win at all costs and had had ice running through his veins with the game hanging in the balance. Drummond has yet to show us the "it."

Thus, the questions. And unfortunately, not enough answers.

Some team is going to fall in love with Drummond during workouts. Others will be scared to death.

At 18 years old, he's the second-youngest player in this year's draft class. He has a lot of time and space to grow his game. With age, maturity and being nurtured in the right system, he might be the next Dwight Howard, the next Andrew Bynum or if you want to lower your sights a little -- the next DeAndre Jordan.

Super Moderator

You have to imagine just given his body composition and physical skillset that he's, at the very least, going to be a rotation big. To assume he's a Dwight Howard/Amare hybrid is definitely being optimistic, but he absolutely has the tools necessary to make that a reasonable comparison.

I wouldn't mind risking a high pick on the kid, with upside like that at such a weak position...he sure seems enticing.

Oladipo for the people

You have to imagine just given his body composition and physical skillset that he's, at the very least, going to be a rotation big. To assume he's a Dwight Howard/Amare hybrid is definitely being optimistic, but he absolutely has the tools necessary to make that a reasonable comparison.

I wouldn't mind risking a high pick on the kid, with upside like that at such a weak position...he sure seems enticing.

Super Moderator

I do agree to an extent, but Kwame and Darko still ended up being rotation big men. Greg Oden doesn't really fit in that category, only because he played at a relatively high level when he was on the court. I think not living up to hype because of injury is different than not living up to hype because you're just not that talented, but that's a whole other discussion and I get your general point.

It's risky business for sure, and I don't even know if I believe he will fully pan out (especially with references to Dwight Howard/Amare out there), but I would definitely take my chances with the kid. Even if he's 75% of what he "could" be, that's still going to net you a nice player.

Oladipo for the people

I do agree to an extent, but Kwame and Darko still ended up being rotation big men. Greg Oden doesn't really fit in that category, only because he played at a relatively high level when he was on the court. I think not living up to hype because of injury is different than not living up to hype because you're just not that talented, but that's a whole other discussion and I get your general point.

It's risky business for sure, and I don't even know if I believe he will fully pan out (especially with references to Dwight Howard/Amare out there), but I would definitely take my chances with the kid. Even if he's 75% of what he "could" be, that's still going to net you a nice player.

Registered

Kenny Smith said it best: "You don't have to wait on greatness". If a player has it, you can see it. When has Drummond or Oden ever been dominant ? If you've seen this fine but, I haven't.

Oden was one of those guys pegged since jr. high to be great but, never "did" it. His one year at Ohio st. he had a broken hand. Against the olympic team ( or whatever that team was) he had the flu. First year at Port. He hurt his knee, no one knows how.

Drummond is much the same way. Sure vets could teach this guy to be mature and all that. But, he has to have something inside. He reminds me of Cousins. Big, talented, passionate but, at Kentucky it was Wall taking the lead. Even though Wall can't shoot, you can see he has something. He never gives up.

Some guys are happy being ordinary. $3 million in a rookie salary is great money for most. That might be enough for Drummond. Don't know if he wants to be great though.

Super Moderator

I remember hearing Dwight was too skinny and too nice coming out of the draft. I was looking up pre-draft stuff to back this up and found these interesting tid-bits instead.

(being asked by the Charlotte media on a visit with the Bobcats)

(on what position he will play)
I see myself as a three (small forward) – four (power forward). I think centers are for old guys. They just sit around the paint and take up space. I’m a person who likes to get out there and run and gun, so I think the three or four would be a great position for me.

(on whether he’s talked about a position with Bernie Bickerstaff)
I don’t think he wants me to play center. He knows I’m not a center. He’s seen my enough times to know how I like to play.

do better

I don't know about that with Hibbert. Like some people thought because of his demeanor and lack of foot speed he was soft but not necessarily lacking in motivation or motor or anything. Anyone who knew anything knew he gave it his all at Georgetown

People didn't really say Hibbert could only stop himself like Drummond, the people that didn't like Hibbert didn't think he was good

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Is there any chance he could slip out of the top three?
If Exum is "reportedly number one on many boards", I'd say there's a chance. With that being said, if the top three was Wiggins/Parker/Exum is whatever order, would you draft Embid if you were the Magic? If they decide they really want...

Don't look now but Larry Brown and SMU just beat Kentucky by signing one of the top five prospects in the nation.
http://collegesportsblog.dallasnews.com/2013/11/smus-larry-brown-were-going-to-be-pretty-relevant-pretty-quickly.html/
That's going to be a very good team next season